Battery box



P 1961 F. E. SCHLAU 3,000,999

BATTERY BOX in l Filed Feb. 25, 1959 INVENTOR. F. E. SCHLAU ATTORNEYBATTERY BOX Floyd E. Schlau, Molina, llL, assignor to Strombeck- BeckerMfg Co., Moline, 111., a corporation of Illinois Original applicationFeb. 23, 1959, Ser. No. 795,839. Divided and this application Mar. 24,1960, Ser. No.

3 Claims. 01. 136-173) I application is a division of copendingapplication 3,000,999 Patented Sept. 19, 1961 f ce case, the bottom half40 of the body has a rear floor Serial No. 795,839 and the inventionrelates to a toy vehicle and more particularly to an electricallypowered vehicle. The invention has for a principal object the provisionof an improved and novel vehicle which may be powered by self-containedelectrical means, such as conventional dry-cell batteries. It is anothermain object to provide the toy with design features enabling itsproduction and sale in kit form and further enabling its-conversion fromself-propulsion to track control and vice versa. a

In the adaptation of the vehicle as powered by its own source ofelectrical power, it is an object of the invention to provide novelmeans for compactly arranging the interior components, including thebatteries, a small electric motor and related elements in such manner asto facilitate assembly, disassembly, servicing and adjustment.

The interchangeable steering means features a part, preferably in theform of a tie rod, that may be reversed as to position so as to bebi-positionable, in one position cooperating with a retaining part toperform the selective steering function and in its other position beingfree from the retaining part so as to enable the vehicle to freelyfollow a track, for example. In this respect, the invention features aremovable and mountable battery box oricontainer of simple design inwhich the-container is so constructed as to enable the ready achievementof electrical connections without soldering and other complicatedterminals.

The foregoing and other important objects and desirable featuresinherent in and encompassed by the invention will become apparent as apreferred embodiment of the invention is disclosed by way of example inthe ensuing description and accompanying sheet of drawings, the severalfeatures of which are described below.

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a typical vehicle, shown in relation to arepresentative track or roadway, the latter being shown in broken lines.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation of the structure shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged plan with the upper half of'the body removedalong a parting line coincident with the line 3--3 of FIGURE 2. r

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged perspective of the battery container.

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged section on the line 5-5 of FIGURE 3.

, The invention provides a self-propelled unit having its own source ofelectrical power, in which case it may be.

operated over any suitable surface and may be adapted for travel over atrack or roadway,.such as that designated generally by the numeral 20 inFIGURES .1 and 2.

The vehicle shown here is representative of a scalemodel racing car;although, it may obviously assume.

any form capable of exploiting the principles and advantages of theinvention. In its illustrated form, it has a fore-and-aft body 22carried on front and rear wheels 24 and 26, respectively, and isself-propelled by an electric motor 28 of conventional nature having anoutput shaft 30 connected to a rear axle 32 via disconnectible drivemeans comprising a pinion 34 on the motor shaft and a side gear 36 onthe axle. The body part 42 from which rise fore-and-aft spaced apartsup-- ports or mounts 44, the bottom half being preferably of moldedplastic or of any similar construction and mate rial of which the mounts44 may be integral parts. Each support or mount -44 has an upwardlyfacing notch 46 which receives a cooperative trunnion 48 on the motor,and these notches are upwardly convergent and the plastic material hasinherent yieldabi-lity so that the trunnions, slightly oversize asrespects the entrancesto' the notches, are received in the notches in asnap-in,

snap-out fashion, whereby the motor may be readily in-- stalled orremoved. Of course, the drive gears 34 and: 36 are readily disengageableand engageable during this. procedure. Because of the molded nature ofthe structure, the mounts 44 may be accurately located with the:precision necessary in a toy of this type. Electric motors: of'thecharacter shown are well known and the details: thereof are notimportant, aside from the provision of the trunnions as constructedrelative to the notches 46. Journals 50 for the rear axle 32 maylikewise be molded; as integral parts of the bottom shell 40. A cockpitor seat 52 is disposed ahead of the axle and the top shelE has anopening 54 therein vertical register with and to: accommodate this seatand to afford access to a switch lever 56 pivoted to the seat on atransverse pivot 58.

The motor has a pair of leads or wires 60 and 62, the former of which iselectrically connected to a contact 64 on the lever. The lever is shownin its off position, with the contact 64- spaced from a fixed contact 66on the seat, and the contact 66 is wired, in a manner to be described,to one side of the battery means, here a pair of small dry-cellbatteries 68 arranged in series and re ceived or mounted removably in abattery container or box 70 disposed fore-and-aft just ahead of the seat52. This box is removably confined between opposite sides of the bodyand, as to fore-and-aft position, is confined between the seat and apair of laterally spaced apart front supports 72 which, like the axlejournals 50, may be integral with a forward floor 73 of the bottomshellof the body; although, these supports may be provided asseparateelements cemented in place, either at the factory or as part of the kitassembly. The battery box is thus in a compartment ahead of the seat 52and the motor and rear axle are in a compartment behind the. seat. Thebattery box 70 is shown by itself in FIGURE 4 as having a floor 74,opposite sides 76 and. opposite ends 80 and 82, all molded as aone-piece structure. The: interior of the end wall 80 has a pair ofclosely spaced apart upright lugs 84 which serve to locate a metalterminal or contact plate 86 which abuts the proximatereversed ends ofthe batteries 68. The other end is slit or otherwise formed as shown toafford three prongs, or fingers, one of which is central at 88 and theothers of which flank the finger 88 at 90 and 92. A wire from thecontact 66 on the seat 52 is wrapped about the finversed ends of thebatteries opposite the ends in contact with the metal plate 86 and thusenable completion of the electrical circuit to energize the motor 28when the lever 56 is swung forward to close the circuit via.

.the contacts 64 and 66. Wrapping of the wires about 'the fingers 90 and92 enables the achievement of etfec tive electrical connections,especially in conjunction with the pressure exerted by the ends of thebatteries under the action of the plate 86,--which is of spring steeland thus has inherent force in'a rearward direction to urge thebatteries rearwardly to improve the contacts at the wire. loops 94 and96. Each side wall 76 of the box has an upper inwardly overhanging lug93 to hold the batteries against inadvertent upward displacement. At thesame time, the dimensions of the box and the plastic material of whichit is composed, permit sufiicient temporary laterally outward distortionof the side walls 76 to enable deliberate removal of the batteries. Thebattery box itself is of compact, simple construction and itsarrangement, confined between the body side walls and between the seat52 and front supports 72, adds not only to the compactness of theassembly but enables substantial economies in manufacture. Besides, thebat tcry box and batteries may be readily removed for installation ofnew batteries and may be removed entirely when the vehicle is convertedfor operation from the track 29, as will appear subsequently. Likewise,being a. separate piece, it may be easily replaced in case of loss orbreakage.

The front end structure of the vehicle has rigid thereon at each sidethereof upper and lower lateral support arms 100 and each pair of armsreceives therebetween a Steering knucle 192 which has an integrallateral spindle (not shown) on which the proximate front wheel 24 isjournaled, much in the fashion of typical automotive construction. Theconnection between each pair of arms and its knuckle affords a pivot 1%on an upright axis.

..-Each knuckle has a forwardly projecting steering arm 112 rigidthereon and each arm has a bifurcated front and apertured in verticalalinement at .114. Cross-conmeeting or tie rod means 116 spans the frontends of the .steering arms and this tie rod has opposite ends pro videdwith upright pintlesv (not shown) respectively received by the aperturesr1 14 to afford vertical pivots.

As previously described, the front part of the lower half 40 of thevehicle body 22 has the front floor portion 73. This is turned up atopposite sides to blend into the sides of the body, each of which isapertured at 120 to accommodate the support arms 1100 and the ends ofthe tie rod 116. In addition, the floor 73 has an opening 122 thereinwhich exposes the-central part of the tie rod from below, and a forwardpart of the floor along the front'of the opening comprises a notched orserrated body part 124 which cooperates with a tie rod part or elementin the form of a tooth 126.

As already outlined, the body is preferably of molded plastic andaccordingly the floor 72:, particularly in the area of the serrated part124, has a certain amount of yieldability. Hence, engagement of thetooth 126 with theserrations isnot rigidly positive but is rather one oflimited yieldability commensurate with the feature of selectivesettability and retention of a steered position of the wheels. That isto say, the tooth 126 normally engages the serrated part 124 withsufiicient force to establish a resistance effective to retain aselected steered position of the front wheels, yet the resistance tosteering may be overcome by manual lateral force applied for example'toone of the front wheels to change the steer able wheels as to position.Hence, the vehicle, selfpropelled by the motor 28, may be caused totravel straight ahead or in a circle determined by the setting ofthesteered position of the wheels and manual changes or routes'and thebasic road bed may be of plastic, rub-. ber, etc. or any other form ofinsulating material having.

desirable properties of strength, relative rigidity, etc. Such trackwill carry centrally thereof (in the one-lane type) a pair of metallicstrips, as at 132, suitably carried by the bed and being spaced apartwill afford a groove which is capable of receiving loosely therebetweena follower (not shown) which extends axially slidably and rotatablythrough the bore 13.0. in the tie rod, Since the tie rod, is ahead, ofthe knuckle pivots 106, changes in curvature in the track will cause thetie rod to shift laterally, thus causing the wheels to be steered inconformity to the track. Likewise, when the track is straight, thewheels will follow straight ahead. In this phase of operation, it isdesired that the steering system be free of the resistance involvedbetween the tooth 126 and the serrated part 124, and this is achieved bythe design of the tiered and its connections to the steering arms 112which enables removal of the tie rod and reversal thereof forreconnection in a new position so that the tooth 126 is free from theserrated part 124. For this purpose, the tie rod 116 is symmetrical fromend to end and is also symmetrical at each end, which is true also ofthe bifurcated ends of the steering arms. Hence, the tie rod may beremoved, turned about its lengthwise axis through 180 and reinstalledwith the tooth 126 at the top and pointed rearwardly.

When the track is energized via the strips 132, as outlined above, thefollower device may also incorporate an electrical pickup meansconnectible to the contact 66 and to the motor wire in lieu of thebattery connections at 94 and 96. V self-propelled by the battery means,and may still trajv'el over and be guided by the track, in whichca'se-theel'ectrical pickup means is not required.

The foregoing covers the salient features of a com mercially acceptabledesign in which the several objectsoutlined, having been found to besignificant, are readily accomplished. Other objects and advantages willoccur to those versed in the art, as will many modifications of theinventive embodiment disclosed, all of which are capable of'exploitationwithout'departure from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What'is' claimed is:

1. A battery carrier for use in a toy vehicle, compris ing: a one-piecebox of non-metallic material having a bottom, opposite side and endwalls and an open top and of such length, width and depth as to carry apair of cylindrical dry-cell batteries side-by-side therein andlengthwise thereof, one of said end walls having a pluraiity of uprightslots therein opening at the upper marginal edge of said end wall andproviding a pair- 0f upright fingers having free upper terminal ends andsaid .fingers being adapted to respectively receive loops, of

electrical conductors for contact respectively with the ends ofthebatteries'adjacent to said fingers, and a metal lic element disposedlaterally across the inner face ofthe opposite end wall of the box tobridge and make electrical contact with the ends of the batteriesproximate to said end wall, said element being of springy metal biasedto urge the batteries toward the fingers andsaid b'ox'being of'suchlength as respects thelength of the batteries that the batteries'areforced into contact with the loops;

2. A battery carrier for use in atoy vehicle, comprising: a one-piecebox of non-metallic material having, a bottom, opposite side and endwalls and an open top and of such length, width and depth as'to carry apair of cylindrical dry-cell batteries side-by-side therein and"lengthwise thereof, onev of;said end walls having a pin rality ofupright slots. therein opening at the upper marginal edge of said endwall and providing a pair of upright fingers having free upper terminalends and:

spaced apart laterally on the order of the spacing between the axes of apair of batteries carried in the box, s aid fingers being adapted torespectively receive loops of elec- Likewise, the vehicle may be tricalconductors for contact respectively with the ends of the batteriesadjacent to said fingers, and a metallic element disposed laterallyacross the inner face of the opposite end wall of the box to bridge andmake electrical contact with the ends of the batteries proximate to saidend walls, said element being of springy metal biased to urge thebatteries toward the fingers and said box being of such length asrespects the length of the batteries that the batteries are forced intocontact with the loops to retain said loops in place, and each side wallhaving laterally inwardly directed portions respectively overhanging thebatteries to normally confine the batteries against vertical escape fromthe box, said side walls being inherently flexible to permit forciblespreading thereof sufliciently to clear said portions from theiroverhanging relation to the batteries so as to enable upward removal ofthe batteries from the box.

3. The invention defined in claim 1, in which: said opposite end Wallhas means providing a centrally dis- References Cited in the file ofthis patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,576,700 Zieschang Mar. 16, 19261,879,595 Voorhees Sept. 27, 1932 2,465,114 Oury Mar. 22, 1949 2,478,887Nelson Aug. 9, 1949 2,522,660 Bledsoe Sept. 19, 1950 2,818,463 ParkerDec. 31, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 377,925 Germany June 29, 1923

